Spend the afternoon relaxing by the lake

Enjoy our beautiful scenic gardens

The Lakeside Blog springs forth from the creative mind of Michelle Bruck at the Interlaken Inn, Lakeville, CT. She writes about events, great places to visit and cool things to do – in and around Lakeville & Salisbury Connecticut.

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Mar

31

2012

Interlaken Inn is Expanding!

For the past several weeks, I've been watching the Interlaken's website expand. Have you noticed? Just put your cursor on one of the tabs at the top and watch what happens. There are so many new drop down pages to choose from, many new packages are being offered, new photos have been added, pages have been redesigned - it's gone mad! Let me highlight some of the my favorites on our website!

Testimonial pages. When I read something that makes me happy, I want to share it. When Guests of Interlaken share their positive comments with us, we'll share them with you. Read what people are saying on the Home, Wedding, Meetings, and Dining tabs.

Summer packages. Right now we are offering certain packages on certain weekends in May and June. Take advantage of the tremendous savings by booking one today as rooms are limited.

Affordable Weddings. Flexible on your wedding date? Visit this page as we post certain dates that will give you the perfect wedding at the perfect price!

Unique Meeting Venues. Dare to be different and forego the traditional meeting room. Book your offsite conference with us and we'll find a unique location conducive to a successful meeting!

Our website will continue to grow in 2012, so be sure to click back often to see the latest!

Mar

30

2012

New Spring Services from ELLORA Spa & Sanctuary

Laura Hess-Hay, owner of ELLORA's Spa & Sanctuary, just shared these new massages now available that will surely release any "tech pressures" you may have!

Tech Release: On the computer all day? Stiff, achy neck, arms and wrists hurt? Here is a massage designed just for you! 45 minutes....$125

Tech Neck: An upper body massage designed to release tired, overworked muscles starting at the back and working to the head. 30 minutes....$85

Tech Hand: A massage concentrated on the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and upper arm with some shoulder work. 30 minutes....$85

Massages are by appointment only, call for yours today. 860-435-1305.

Check out all of the wonderful services Laura offers - ELLORA Spa & Sanctuary., located right at the Interlaken, just steps away from your Guestroom.

Mar

29

2012

Excellent dinner, lovely breakfast, a perfect room - Interlaken Inn

I received these comments from a Guest who just stayed with us. Can anyone see the smile on my face? Believe me, the entire Interlaken staff is smiling!

We really enjoyed our stay at the Interlaken Inn. Although it was too brief, we had an excellent dinner and a lovely breakfast and a perfect room and so appreciated being upgraded to the second floor. The decor is great and the location is so convenient to Hotchkiss! We look forward to seeing you in the future, whether or not Nina decides to enroll at Hotchkiss in the fall. We only live a few hours away, but would welcome the chance to stay with you again when we visit our daughter. It is very likely that she will, unless she decides to stay at home. What a wonderful part of the country you are in -- pure heaven! I've stayed at hotels near Williams College (countless time) and Exeter and Andover as well as at the very deluxe/fancy Washington Duke Inn (countless times). Also hotels near UVA and Northwestern University and more than I have time to remember or describe right now.........we have five children and our Hotchkiss candidate is the youngest! Your hotel is right up at the top in terms of quality and service and value and your restaurant was better than most! Congratulations.

Thank you so much for a very relaxing and comfortable stay.

Mar

27

2012

Give yourself a Spring break!

Spring arrived in such wonderfully warm style last week, and got many of us in the Northwest Corner skipping Spring and heading right for Summer! The sandals were out, coats were off, sunroofs open, flowers blooming - I even had a few Guests ask me if the boats would be available at the lakefront! I'm all for summer, but would be sad if we missed the rebirth, renewal and regrowth of this amazing season. With April being the first full month of Spring, why not celebrate all Spring has to offer by spending some time at Interlaken? Let me share with you some fun things you can do both inside and out in the lovely month of April!

Hiking. My new favorite outdoor activity. There are an abundance of hiking trails in the Northwest Corner, and with the best hiking website at your fingertips as a reference guide (http://www.berkshirehiking.com/hikes/w_ct.html), you'll be certain to find the best hike for you. From easy to strenuous on the 2000-mile Appalachian Trail, to climbing to the highest peak in Connecticut at Bear Mountain, or meandering through the Mohawk State Forest, there is something for everyone at any level.

Biking. Love it. You can bring your bike on the Metro North train and then at the Wassaic Station hop on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail (HVRT) up to Millerton, and then cycle to the Interlaken property (about 4 miles away). Or, leave your bikes at home and rent from the Bash Bish Bicycle located right near the HVRT. Either way, HVRT is perfecting for bicycling for a long run (10 miles each way) or for just a little bit with your younger family.

Horseback Riding.Lee's Riding Stables at Windfield Morgan Farm in Litchfield, CT has got you covered 7 days a week for anyone 7 years and older, or pony rides for those younger aspiring equestrians. With over 100 acres of rolling hills, view the countryside on horseback!

Golf. Yes, there are some courses that are already open, thank you summer! Hotchkiss Golf Course, located right next door to the Interlaken, is set to officially open on April 15th, but warm weather permitting, will open April 1st (and that is no joke). The greens are green, the pins are in - time to score that hole in one!

Infinity Hall. A night on the town. With 21 shows (with one sold out date) beginning with Los Lobos on the 1st and 2011 Grammy nominee Charlie Musselwhite on the 29th, you'll be sure to find a show to entertain you! Remember to book through Interlaken on the A Night on the Town package - a great value and a great way to spend your night away!

Hotchkiss Film Festival. The first annual film festival held on the weekend of April 20-21, 2012 at the Hotchkiss School, right next door to the Interlaken. Come show your support to high school filmmakers! Interlaken is offering a special room rate for all those attending!

Sharon Audubon. Discover at the Visitor Center and by walking one of the many trails that focus on plants, birds, and animals in their natural habitats. In April, The Egg Event, Spring Break Sessions, and Salamander hunts are scheduled. A perfect opportunity to open your eyes to nature.

Wineries. Although wineries are open year round for tastings and tours, why not try this special event being held in April at the Millbrook Vineyards and Winery in neighboring Dutchess County, NY: "Winegrowing Boot Camp Class #1" held on April 14th from 10am to 12noon. Expand your knowledge, learn something new. Combine this with our Millbrook Vineyard Tour Package for a fun tasting weekend away in April!

Life Discovery Series. Offered right here at Interlaken the first two Saturdays in April at 11am. Ninety minute presentations from those with a passion and the knowledge to teach you something new. Our two topics are "Texas Hold Em" and "Fido, Mind your Manners!". (and yes, you can bring Fido to this one!) Our Weekend Getaway in CT package includes the program, but those here for other reasons can also join in for a small fee.

Mar

23

2012

A bonfire for any reason, in any season!

A starry sky, a cool evening, Hot Cocoa and S'mores. A crackling fire is center stage, surrounded by your friends, family and business associates.

What? Business associates? Yes, that is what I said!

Nighttime bonfires have been popular for years with our wedding couples. Planned after the rehearsal dinner (typcially a traditional BBQ), friends and family members follow the luminaries to the bonfire site, typically placed lakeside. Toasting marshmallows certainly take you back, so not only are you feeling youthful again, but reminiscing is a given! Lately, many of our family reunions have been doing the same by including the evening bonfire into their family gathering times. Now, corporate groups can add in this fun element to their meeting as well!

Let me introduce our Campfire Meeting Package - a unique & productive meeting venue at Interlaken. It's simple, it's fun, and it includes all you need for a successful meeting!

Hotchkiss Film Festival 2012

Students and faculty at the Hotchkiss School will be busy this April hosting their first ever Hotchkiss Film Festival the weekend of April 20 - 22, 2012. As listed on their website:

Welcome to the Hotchkiss Film Festival. The Hotchkiss School, located in the northwest corner of Connecticut, will hold the inaugural festival on the weekend of April 21st to celebrate the wide range of student short films produced ONLY by both middle and high school students. Close to both New York City and Boston, the Hotchkiss area can serve as a great relaxation and fun getaway place for everyone. We will hold the wide-scope festival over a weekend with a community-feel in order to connect the student filmmakers with professionals in the industry. Everyone is welcome.

You heard it from them - everyone is welcome! To celebrate this special event, Interlaken Inn is extending a 20% discount off our standard room rates to everyone attending. Interlaken is located right next door to Hotchkiss on Route 112 and with a variety of accommodations to meet all your needs.

Mar

20

2012

Winter Wedding WOW

WOW.

That is what I said when I saw this picture.

BSC Photo Studio captured this snowy magical moment at Interlaken perfectly! Remember the blog with the photos called "A Winter Wedding to Warm the Heart"? Well this photo certainly warms my heart and I can't wait to see the rest! The photographer gave us this sneak peek but more will be on the way and we'll have them posted on our winter wedding webpage soon.

Mar

18

2012

Spa Parties at Interlaken

Who doesn't love a party? Check out the latest offering from ELLORA Spa & Sanctuary!

Spa Parties by our therapists!

Everyone likes a party and special occasions. Gather your friends and have a spa day with us in our relaxing lounge decorated beautifully just for you to enjoy where you will be served the food and drink of your choice. Food price separate.. Perfect for your Wedding Party, Girls Day or Night Out, Birthdays, Bat Mitzvahs, and Teen Parties.

Sharon Audubon MapleFest, Saturday, March 17th, 2012

Sharon AudubonMapleFest Few foreigners realize that March is typically New England’s 5th season- “Mud Season”! However, it is also our “sweetest season” which we owe completely to the abundance of Sugar Maple trees in our region. The sap flows due to the crisp nights and warmer days.

“The mild weather caused the season to start earlier and hasn’t produced the quantity of sap we would like because of the lack of freezing nights and 40-45 degree days,” said Scott Heth, Director of the Sharon Audubon in an interview earlier today. But the Sugar Maples definitely haven’t let us down completely- the sap is still flowing!

Heth also said that they typically produce about 60 gallons of maple syrup annually and the oldest Sugar Maple at the Sharon Audubon is approximately 250 years old!

Interested in the process? It is truly amazing and a lot of work- it takes 40 gallons of maple sap to get just 1 gallon of the delicious sweet syrup we like to drizzle over, well, just about anything from mom’s buttermilk waffles to making savory root vegetables!

The Sharon AudubonMapleFest takes place this Saturday, March 17th from 10am-4pm. Tour guides will lead you through the trails where you can see first hand the collection process from start to finish. The sugar house is definitely my favorite part of the tour where they boil down the sap over a wood fire stove and let you taste the finished product! The sticky, steamy, sweet air will leave you anxious to purchase your very own bottles of maple syrup from the Audubon’s gift shop. And yes, Scott admits to tasting the finished product himself regularly, after all, someone has to be in charge of quality control! Be prepared to have breakfast for dinner Saturday night!

Our neighbor, The Sharon Audubon, is located at 325 Cornwall Bridge Road in Sharon, CT 06069 just 8 miles from the Interlaken Inn.

Value of Face to Face Meetings

Do you think Face to Face business meetings are a waste of time? Perhaps these are some reasons why you feel that way:

Not enough ROI (Return on Investment) or ROO (Return on Objective)

Our meetings are constantly interrupted.

We don’t accomplish our goals during our meetings.

We don’t remain on-target during our meetings.

The same people always do all the talking.

Our meetings start late or run past the set end-time.

Our meetings are boring

Along came the technology enabling us to sit in the comfort and privacy of our own offices/houses/beachfront and use applications such as GoToMeeting and Skype to participate in a business meeting or conference call. It is definitely a convenience and costs a lot less than hosting a meeting at a destination site. Or does it?

At what cost are you willing to sacrifice face to face time with your team? Certainly there are some meetings where it makes perfect sense to use any of the above applications but no series of webinars are going to replace training a sales team in person.

Why Face to Face Meetings are a valuable asset to your business:

Real-time communication

Allow employees to engage and interact within the group

Provides human contact and relationship development

Allows for “side-line” conversations to accomplish various tasks which cannot be done while video-conferencing or teleconferencing

Quality of decisions made increases and more likely to be made as a team than by individual

Helps develop team-bonding

Easier to inspire/motivate in-person than via media outlets

Less distraction at face to face meetings than computer mediated devices